Accessories for ironing apparatus



June 8, 1943. J w STEELE 2,321,261

ACCESSORIES FOR IRONING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 22,. 1941 Patented June 8,1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention consists in certain improvements in ironing equipment,particularly such apparatus as is employed in laundry operation.

An important object of the invention is to consolidate the partscomprising the ironing equipment used by a single operator into aslimited space as possible in order to minimize the movements necessaryto be made by the operator, and also to locate the iron and otheraccessories in such a way as to standardize the movements executed bythe operator in the use of those devices.

For carrying out these primary purposes of the invention, I provided amain ironing board which is equipped with either an arm or separatestandard for supporting the iron and other accessories in such relationas to be conveniently accessible to the operator, and also in entirelyspaced relation to the main ironing board so as not to obstruct or limitthe use of the ironin surface thereon in any way for ironing purposes,and thereby enable a main ironing board of shorter length than theconventional design to fulfill all the essential requirements of suchportion of the equipment. Where an auxiliary supporting arm is providedfor carrying th accessory equipment, this arm as well as the ironingboard are both made adjustable with reference to the main supportingstructure.

In adapting the equipment for use with an electric iron, the inventionfurther provides electric heating connections having means forautomatically shutting off the current from the iron so long as thelatter is not in use, as well as means for independently cutting off thecurrent through the supply connection and. also indicatin whether or notthe supply connections are connected with the service outlet.

Other objects or purposes of the invention will appear in the course ofthe detailed specification.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention will now be describedby reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating apparatus foundespecially adapted for the embodiment of the proposed improvements,after which those features and combinations deemed to be novel andpatentable will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawin Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an ironing boardconstruction embodying the present features of improvement;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same on a slightly smaller scale;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of apparatus similar to that shown inFigure l, but employing a separate supporting standard for carrying theaccessory devices;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the construction illustrated in Figure2; and

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view representing a section taken ona line 55 of Figure 4.

This is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 244,972 filedDecember 10, 1938.

Floor space in the ironing and finishing departments of all up-to-datelaundry establishments is always at a premium, due not only to thenecessity of providing room for all the accessory equipment for eachironing station, but also on account or the space taken up by theappliances used for carrying and transporting the garments as these arebeing handled or treated in their course through the ironing andfinishing department. While it is desirable to save floor spac from thestandpoint of that consideration alone, it is obviously much moreimportant to design the ironing equipment in such a way as not only tosave floor space but also to reduce as much as possible the necessity onthe part of the operator for moving from one point to another about theapparatus, for unnecessary movements of the sort waste both time andlabor, not to mention the expense of maintaining unduly large pieces ofequipment.

Where apparatus of this character is equipped with electrically heatedirons, some disadvantages have arisen due to overheating of the iron andother faults, according to the type of iron used. In the case of ironshaving a heat control switch, this requires constant attention on thepart of the operator, who may neglect to manipulate the switch properlyor even forget it altogether, thus overheating the iron or underheatingthe iron. One particular disadvantage of underheating the iron, forexample, is that it slows down the work compared to working with aproperly heated iron, for it is the hot iron which speeds up theoperation by requiring rapid ironing strokes on the part of theoperator.

A type of electric iron, called the cordless iron, requires the operatorto place it back upon a stand for reheating, and while it has someadvantages it is still subject to the objection that regardless of thefact that the iron is hot to begin with, it nevertheless is graduallycooling off during the time it is in use.

One important purpose of the present improvement therefore is to providefor maximum efiiciency of the ironing device throughout its ac tualoperation, doing this by reversing the principleof the so-calledcordless iron, i. e., by maintaining the electric heating current incircuit through the iron during all the time it is in use, andautomatically cutting off the heating current when the iron is not inuse by causing said circuit to be broken automatically andsimultaneously with the setting of the iron on its stand, in inoperativeposition. The loss of heat by the iron in this position, on its stand,is less rapid and of course much less serious than during the ironingoperation, and as soon as the iron is lifted off the stand the heatingcurrent is restored to the iron and maintained throughout the period ofoperation until the iron is again placed on its stand.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the improved construction isillustrated as comprising a pedestal structure consisting of a baseportion 20 carrying an upright member 22 upon which is adjustablymounted a top portion 23 having slots 24 for adjustably securing saidtop portion to the upright member 22 by means of clamping screws 25.This top pedestal portion carries the main ironing board member 27.

The top pedestal member 23 is provided with a plurality of trayreceptacles 36 extending across the corresponding end of the mainironing board 2'1, for spools, pins, o other supplies.

To the rear side of the pedestal is secured an accessory supporting arm54 extending in upward rearwardly inclined position and having slots 55for accommodating securing bolts 21 whereby the upper end portion of thearm 54 may be secured at varying levels as well as in spaced relation tothe rear side of the main ironing board 21, thus leaving the latter freeand unobstructed for the ironing operation throughout its full length,as clearly illustrated in Figures 1-3. The upper end of the arm 54 isprovided with a horizontal shelf 58 accommodating a series of removabletrays 60 for accessory purposes (such as water, brushes, moisteningdevices, etc.) it also provides a support for an iron holder such as astand 62 for an electric iron 64 of the character shown in my Patent No.2,227,916, dated Jan. '7, 1941, and adapted to support the iron in asomewhat tilted position, as illustrated in Figure 3.

Associated with the arm 54 and platform 58 is an upright member 66provided with a safety switch device for the electric iron 64, asparticularly shown in Figure 5. An electric cord 61 is connected withthe source of electric current supply and also with the ironing cord 68,and both cord 61 and 68 are connected with switch or cut-out contactscomprising a fixed contact l and a movable contact, 12 carried by amovable arm 14 pivoted at 15 and projecting through an opening 16 in akeeper 1! into position for engagement by the iron when the latter isthrust into the stand 62. 'The arm 14 is normally actuated by a spring18 in a direction to engage the contacts and 12 and thus close theheating circuit through the iron as long as the same is in use in theironing operation, but is actuated in the opposite direction (by pushingaction of the iron) to interrupt or cut off the heating current wheneverthe iron is thrust into the stand 52 (i. e., is not in use forironing)as represented in Figure 5. As a further safety measure the uprightmember 66 carries asocket 80 for a signal light bulb 82 together withconnections including the said light in the'circuit v with the iron cord68, as controlled bythe manconnections in the mostefiicient workingrelaual switch 33 and in advance of said cord 68, so that the operatornot only is provided with a positive control for the circuit to the ironby means of said switch 83 but may always observe whether the currenthas or has not been turned on through said switch, ready for use by theiron. The cord 68 for the iron is shown as attached to the upper end ofa rod or wire 84 having a helical coil 85 intermediate its ends, thelower end of said member 84 being attached by screws 86 to the upperportion of the upright 65 (see Figure 4). This construction provides aflexible supporting means for the iron cord and is adapted to permit alloperative movements as well as to maintain the cord in an entirely outof-the-way position, when the iron is not in use, as represented inFigures 1-4.

The advantages of an ironing apparatus having the foregoing constructionmay be set forth as follows. The provision of the adjustable pedestalstructure obviously enables the operating level of the ironing boardsurfaces t be conveniently varied to suit the particular preference ofthe operator, and the level of the accessories carried by the arm 54 maylikewise be adjusted by manipulation of the adjusting screws '51, aswill be readily understood. The accessories, including the electriciron, which are carried on the supporting arm 5 1, are thus allmaintained at a convenient point and level at one end of the mainironing board 21; and since all the accessories carried by theplatform58 on said arm 54 are spaced sufliciently away from the board 21so as to leave the sides of the board entirely unobstructed throughoutits 'lengthfthe length of the main board may be kept at a minimum, i.eis not required to be any longer than the principal dimension of thegarment being ironed.

By thu limiting and reducing the area or space within which thenecessary ironing operations may be performed,'so that the main board 21may be likewise of minimum length for the purpose, it is apparent thatthe foot movements of the operator are likewisekept down to aapracticalminimum, and very much below that required for the standard ironingboard or apparatus used in laundry operations.

A modification of the accessory supporting structure is illustrated inFigure 3, in which modi fled form the supporting arm 5d is,replace'd bya movable standard 54' havinga-base member 59 adapted to rest upon thefloor. 'With such a separate and movable type of support it is apparentthat the accessories can readily be hifted to any desired positionalongside the ironing board 21, and thereby achieve thi desirablepurpose and advantage of the present improvements.

The provision for supporting the iron and its tion to the board as Wellas for regulating the heating of the iron to conform exactly'with theworking requirements, is also deemed to constitute a very valuable andusefulimprovement in this type of apparatus. The iron is accommodated inits most advantageous and convenient relation for the operator and theheating cord maintained continuously in an out-of-the-way position; andmoreover, the iron heating current i in circuit with the iron all thetime during the periods that the iron, is in operation, .i. e.

oiT the stand, for as soon as the iron is returned to the stand thecurrent is automatically shut oiiby the automaticv switching deviceabove de.

scribed. In consequence of the sloping character of the support affordedby the iron supporting stand, the iron is prevented from becomingcasually displaced from supported position, and hence maintains a firmand substantially uniform pressure against the arm 14 for insuring thatthe circuit will remain interrupted or broken as long as the iron is onthe stand. In addition the provision of a signal light 82, which alwaysglows as long as the current remains available for the iron cordconnection by way of the switch 83, provides a safeguard against theoperator inadvertently shutting down the apparatus without eitherthrowing said switch 83 or disconnect ing the supply cord 61 from thecurrent supply outlet.

It will therefore be seen that I have devised a very practical andefiicient construction for carrying out the aforesaid objects of myinvention, and while I have illustrated and described what appears torepresent preferred forms of embodiment of the improved features Idesire to be understood as reserving the right to make such changes ormodifications as may fairly be deemed to fall within the spirit andscope of my invention as defined by the following claim.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In apparatus of the character described, an ironing board, an ironsupport located separate from the ironing board, an electric iron havina cord for conducting an electric heating current to the iron, electricswich operating means associated with said support and tending normallyto close said heating current through the iron, said switch operatingmeans comprising an arm mounted on a vertical axi for horizontalswinging movement above the support and across the path of movement ofthe iron horizontally onto said support and actuated by the iron in itshorizontal movement for shutting said heating current off from the ironas long as the latter is carried on said support, said iron supporthaving sloping supporting means carrying said iron in tilted positionfor pushing against said arm while the iron is in supported position tomaintain constancy of the current controlling action.

JAMES W. STEELE.

